Studies on diurnal variation of atmospheric tritium concentration at a sampling location near to PHWR site in Semi-Arid Zone, India

D P Nankar; A K Patra; C P Joshi; Amol Chandrakar; I V Saradhi; A Vinod Kumar

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107123

Studies on diurnal variation of atmospheric tritium concentration at a sampling location near to PHWR site in Semi-Arid Zone, India

J Environ Radioact. 2023 May:261:107123. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107123. Epub 2023 Feb 5.

Authors

D P Nankar¹, A K Patra², C P Joshi², Amol Chandrakar², I V Saradhi³, A Vinod Kumar³

Affiliations

¹ Environmental Survey Laboratory, Environmental Studies Section, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Division, BARC, Kakrapar Gujarat Site, P.O. Anumala, Surat District, Gujarat, 394651, India. Electronic address: dpnankar@npcil.co.in.
² Environmental Survey Laboratory, Environmental Studies Section, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Division, BARC, Kakrapar Gujarat Site, P.O. Anumala, Surat District, Gujarat, 394651, India.
³ Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Division (EMAD), BARC, Mumbai, 400 085, India.

PMID: 36750002
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107123

Abstract

Tritium (³H) is one of the important long-lived radioisotopes in the gaseous effluent released from Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR). For the first time, the studies on diurnal variation of atmospheric tritium concentration was carried out using an in-house developed automatic air moisture collection sampler at Kakrapar Gujarat site, India, where PHWRs are operational. Correlation of diurnal variation of atmospheric tritium concentration with meteorological parameters such as absolute humidity, ambient temperature and wind speed is studied and presented in this paper. Positive and significant correlation of atmospheric ³H concentration was observed with respect to the absolute humidity. Negative correlation was observed in ambient temperature and wind speed. The diurnal maximum and minimum of ³H concentration was found during 21.00-23.00 h (night) and 13.00-16.00 h (day), respectively.

Keywords: Ambient air; Diurnal tritium; Kakrapar; Meteorological parameters; Moisture sampling; Nuclear power plant.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Deuterium Oxide
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Gases
India
Radiation Monitoring*
Radioisotopes
Seasons
Tritium / analysis
Wind

Substances

Tritium
Deuterium Oxide
Radioisotopes
Gases
Air Pollutants